Nature & Science

 

 

 
bird

Distinguishing Bird Calls

Susan B. Whiting

Misidentification of a bird species is always embarrassing, but when it is one made on a group of birds very difficult to separate, it is not quite as bad.

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plover

Against Odds, Piping Plovers Rebound

Mike Seccombe

So you think life is tough? You should be a baby piping plover. Born in a mere scrape in the sand, expected by your parents to fend for yourself from birth, facing danger at every turn from skunks, raccoons, crows, hawks, storms, off-road tires.

And yet the tiny birds — and there are not that many of them left — appear to be doing pretty well on the Vineyard this year, albeit with the help of a social safety net that would be the envy of hard-scrabble humans.

2

Two Island Charter Captains Report a Great White Shark

Mark Alan Lovewell

A great white shark was reported twice in Vineyard waters this past week, the most recent off Menemsha Beach on Wednesday evening.

Capt. Buddy Vanderhoop of Aquinnah called the Gazette Wednesday night to say a great white shark had been seen 50 feet off the Menemsha beach at about 6:30 p.m. He said the animal was finning and moving up the beach. Later it moved toward the Brickyard.

Capt. Scott McDowell of Chilmark was out fishing on a charter on Sunday afternoon when, he said, a great white shark came out of the water three times near his new boat.

5

May 30: Sunny

Friday, May 30: Sunny. Summer weather. Temperature rises to mid-70s. A night for a barbecue. The smell of freshly cooked burgers drifts through downtown Edgartown. Stars make a showing late at night. Cool.

Saturday, May 31: Sunny and dry. High-flying cirrus clouds in the afternoon. A couple walks the beach at Eastville Beach. Ferry Island Home passes off Middle Ground. Fishing boats are adrift in the breaking rip on Middle Ground. Bull frogs sound off a still pond in Chilmark.

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